Step into the heart of African wildlife conservation and experience what it takes to manage and protect wild animals in real-world field conditions. This immersive experience focuses on game capture, wildlife management and chemical immobilisation, working alongside experienced wildlife professionals and gaining exposure to conservation operations as they happen. Depending on the season and the needs of the animals, you may be involved in mass game capture, predator capture and management, multiple chemical immobilisations, wildlife monitoring and nocturnal fieldwork. Every operation is different, giving you the opportunity to see how wildlife professionals assess situations, work safely around wild animals and make decisions that balance animal welfare, conservation priorities and the needs of protected areas.

Beyond game capture, you’ll gain a broader understanding of the challenges facing wildlife and the work involved in protecting populations and ecosystems. Learn about anti-poaching initiatives, ethical wildlife management and the practical realities of managing wildlife across large protected areas. You’ll also visit a wildlife conservation and rehabilitation centre, where you can see rescued animals up close and learn about their ongoing care, rehabilitation and welfare. Get involved in feeding resident predators and visit a dedicated vulture restaurant to discover how supplementary feeding supports important scavenger populations and plays a role in maintaining healthy ecosystems.

The experience also takes you into the iconic landscapes of Kruger National Park for an overnight stay, full-day safari and Big Five night drive. Explore the park by day and after dark, experiencing wildlife across different habitats and seeing species in a much broader conservation context. From active game capture and chemical immobilisation to predator management, rehabilitation, scavenger conservation and safari, the programme brings together multiple sides of modern wildlife conservation and offers a rare opportunity to experience the work beyond the traditional safari.

Seasonal Focus

The programme operates across two distinct seasons, with the type of work generally influenced by the time of year.

May–September | Capture Season

During the main capture season, there is typically a greater focus on mass wildlife capture operations, with each mission aiming to include opportunities to experience predator capture and multiple chemical immobilisations where appropriate. These operations can involve the capture, handling, examination, treatment, relocation or management of multiple animals as part of broader conservation and reserve-management objectives.

October–April | Off Season

Outside of the main capture season, there is typically greater emphasis on individual chemical immobilisations, predator management work and nocturnal field operations. Night work can provide a very different perspective on wildlife management, with participants experiencing the challenges of locating, approaching and safely working with animals after dark.

Real Conservation Means No Guarantees

This is real wildlife work, not a staged experience. Animals are only captured, immobilised or handled when there is a genuine conservation or management need, and activities depend entirely on what is happening in the field during your stay.

For this reason, no particular species, capture, procedure or activity can be guaranteed. The team may have an anticipated schedule, but priorities can change quickly depending on animal movements, weather, operational requirements and conservation needs.

Participants should arrive with an open mind and a willingness to adapt. You may have a day planned around one type of operation and find yourself working on something completely different. That unpredictability is part of what makes this experience unique.

Beyond the Capture: The Bigger Conservation Picture

The experience extends beyond game capture, giving participants a broader understanding of how different aspects of wildlife management work together to support healthy, protected ecosystems. Alongside the core fieldwork, participants will have opportunities to experience the wider conservation landscape through:

• Overnight safari in Kruger National Park – experience a world-renowned protected area and observe wildlife within a large-scale conservation landscape. Fall asleep to the sounds of lions and hyenas, a truly African experience.

• Night drive in a Big Five reserve – discover the very different challenges and behaviours encountered after dark.

• Wildlife rehabilitation and conservation centre – visit a local conservation centre to learn about the rescue, rehabilitation and long-term care of wildlife. Participants will also have the opportunity to feed resident predators and visit a dedicated vulture restaurant, gaining insight into the important ecological role of scavengers and the challenges involved in caring for wildlife in human care.

• Anti-poaching insights – learn about the strategies, challenges and field operations involved in protecting wildlife from poaching.

• Ethical conservation practices – explore the principles behind responsible wildlife management, including how decisions are made with animal welfare and long-term conservation outcomes in mind.

• All park entry fees and transport included – allowing participants to focus fully on the experience without additional costs for these activities.

Stay in the Heart of the Action

Your accommodation follows the work. Rather than staying in a conventional hotel, you’ll stay where the conservation work takes you, allowing you to be immersed in the landscapes and wildlife that make this experience so unique.

Accommodation will be in safe and secure African safari-style tents or lodges, surrounded by nature and close to where the fieldwork takes place. While the setting is authentic and wild, you’ll still have the comforts you need after a day in the field, including Western-style bathrooms with hot water showers, Wi-Fi, laundry facilities, and all meals. There may even be a heated pool or other luxuries on site!

Your team stays alongside you throughout the mission, creating a shared experience from the field to camp and ensuring you’re supported throughout your stay.

There’s no better way to experience the country you’re visiting than by living in the landscape itself - waking up surrounded by nature, spending your days in the field and experiencing wildlife conservation from the inside.

This is more than accommodation. It’s part of the wildlife experience.

If “Book Now” is available:

• Click the Book Now button to secure your place on the mission. Select the departure date and the applicable package.

• A deposit is required to confirm your spot - spaces are limited and cannot be held without payment

• The remaining balance is split into three instalments, with final payment due 90 days prior to departure

• If booking within 90 days of departure, full payment is required at the time of booking

• Once your deposit (or full payment) is received, you’ll be sent a detailed information pack covering everything you need to know - including program details, travel guidance, what to expect, and a packing list

If “Book Now” is not available:

• This mission may have specific requirements, offers multiple departure dates, or has alternative mission lengths available

• Click Ask A Question and complete your details to register your interest

• A Wilde Tracks team member will contact you via email

• If you don’t hear from us within 3 business days, please email info@wildetracks.com

• No payment is required to register your interest

• Our team will help guide you through the best options available for you

Some of our trips require a minimum number of participants to run. In the unlikely event the minimum isn’t met, we’ll let you know no later than 60 days before departure. If you haven’t heard from us by then, your trip is good to go. To keep things flexible, we recommend booking your flight after this point or choosing a flexible ticket.

Don’t just take our word for it - hear directly from the travellers who have joined Wilde Tracks missions around the world.

From hands-on conservation work and unforgettable wildlife encounters to meaningful connections with local communities, our guests share what it’s really like to travel with purpose.

⭐ 5.0/5 on Tripadvisor
⭐ 34 five-star reviews
⭐ Travellers’ Choice recognised

Read their stories, see what they experienced and discover why so many of our guests are already planning their next Wilde Tracks adventure.

Read our Tripadvisor reviews → HERE